St. Petersburg's PinkCricket closing

This release just flotated into my inbox and it's pretty sad. The PinkCricket Center for Arts Education, a youth arts center in downtown St. Petersburg, is closing at the end of the month. The center had shut down temporarily in August but after reopening, it could not recover. The center had become an art spot for families and had even offered some date night options for busy parents. But in the end, with the economy still struggling, the PC had to make the hard the choice.

“We are heartbroken over this and, it is not a decision we have made lightly. We have tried everything to keep our doors open, but it’s just not enough,” said Sara Turner, executive director of The PinkCricket. "It was only during this past summer that we really started gaining the interest we needed to stay open. To be able to see the potential of The PinkCricket and then still have to close has made the decision especially hard to make.”

But the PinkCricket won't close without a party. There will be a Closing/Good-Bye Party on from 2-6 p.m. Oct. 2 at the studio, 475 Central Ave., Suite 100 in the Kress Building, St. Petersburg. There will be hands on arts activities, face painting and more at the event. Admission is free. Call the PinkCricket at (727) 823-7465 for more information.

~ Sherry Robinson

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[Times files: Julion Burnett paints a figure on his skateboard this summer at The PinkCricket.]

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